Uses and Abuses of the Four Aristotelian Causes in Psychology

Abstract A comprehensive understanding of any phenomenon, according to Aristotle, requires an integrated consideration of the four causes that determine it: material, formal, efficient, and final. This Aristotelian conception of causality has been employed by authors from various scientific disciplines, including psychology. The present article reviews Aristotle’s original conception of the four causes and its application to the study of human behavior, personality, and psychological disorders. The contributions of different authors are critically examined, and their strengths and weaknesses are highlighted. Finally, a radically human alternative is proposed, unifying the four causes at a psychological meeting point that takes into account the interaction between the individual and their context at an anthropic scale. This approach aims to overcome mechanistic reductionism and traditional dualism, offering a comprehensive perspective that integrates the biological, social, and historical dimensions in explaining human behavior and suffering.